Manufacturing artificial shingles



Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,921

s. G. WRIGHT MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL SHINGLES Filed July 12, 1924 I J77 yew @zzmz azdrg fif Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

UNITED STATES STEPHEN G. WRIGHT. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL SHI'NGLES.

Application filed July 12,

The present invention relates to the manufacture of vari-colored asphalt shingles, slabs,etc., and will be fully understood from the following description, illustrated by the l accompanying drawlngs, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view'of apparatus suitable for carrying the invention into effect, and

, Figure 2 shows diagrammatically a por-.

tion of the sheet produced in accordance with the resent invention prior to cutting into shing e sizes.

In the manufacture of asphalt slabs,

shingles, etc., which are produced by depositing grit of the desired color upon asphalt coated felt, ithas become desirable to produce the shingles or slabs in a variety of colors such that shingles or slabs selected at random may be laid on a roof and produce a properly .blended array of colors Without marked contrasts. In accordance with the present invention, shingles, etc., are produced in a variety of colors, without affecting the continuity of the manufacturing proc- 85 ess and the resulting shingles are of such a character-that their colors blend properly when selected at random and laid.

The manufacturing process is illustrated diagrammatically in Flgure 1 ofv the drawings. The numeral 5 indicates a saturating tank filled with melted saturating asphalt through which the felt is assed in a continuous band. The felt is indicated by the numeral 6. From the saturating tank the 85 saturated felt passes between rolls 7, which squeeze out'the excess of pitch, and from these the felt passes under the asphalt distributing nozzles 8 and spreading roll 9, by which the asphalt coating on the felt is 40 evenly applied and distributed.' Before the asphalt coating cools, the felt passes under the grit hopper 10, by which the grits are applied to the surface of the felt -in a substantially uniform layer. The coated felt then passes between the pressure rolls 11, by which the grit is forced into the hot asphalt coating. The felt is then carried by rolls 12- over a bin 13, into which surplus grit, not held'by the asphalt layer, is dropped. The

coated felt then continues in its travel to the cooling rolls 14;, and thence to the festooners 15, the cooling of the felt being completed while traveling over the latter. The cooled felt is then carried to the cutting table 16,

the coated felt being cut to shingle form by the cutters 17.

1924. Serial No. 725,856.

In the process of manufacture of the shingles, etc., it will be noted that the process is continuous throughout, and it is important that its continuity shall not be interrupted in the manufacture of shingles or roofing of varying colors. In carrying out the present invention, grits of different colors are employed for forming the vari-colored shingles. In order that the invention may be clearly understood, it will be described first in connection with the use of two contrastcolors, for example, red brick and slate In carrying out the invention, the distributing lopper 10 is first supplied with the desired quantity of grit of one of the colors; for example the red brick. As the asphalt coated felt travels below the hopper 10, the grit thus supplied is distributed over a predetermined area of the continuously moving felt. As the sup ly for coating this predetermined area of elt apporaches exhaustion, the hopper 10 is supplied with a suitable quantity of a blend of grit of substantially the two contrasting colors .which are to be employed; in this case, the red brick and the slate blue. As indicated in Figure 2, the supply of grit of the first mentioned color forms an area 18 of substantially solid color; The supply of blended grit forms a succeeding area of predetermined size 19, of the blended color. Between the two areas 18 and 19 is a smaller area 20, formed during the period the supply of the first color is being exhausted and the supply of blended color is beginning its ;distribut1on, this small area verging toward the solid color in tone. As the supply of blended color approaches exhaustion, the distributing hopper 10 is supplied with the contrasting color (slate blue for example),

and this forms an area of predetermined size designated by the numeral 21. Between the areas 19 and 21 is formed an intermediate small area 22 during the period in which the supply of blended color is being exhausted and the supply of the con- 'trasting color is beginning 1ts distribution. The operation may be repeated after-the supply of the second color (slate blue) is ex austed, a blend of that color with some contrasting color, grit being employed, the

contrasting color being, for example, buff.

The blends ma be made up of the colors of grit used in orming the solid color portions or of grit having substantially similar grit of a blend of substantially those colors.

If desired, a number of varying blends of colors in different proportions may be inter posed between the portions made up of the component colors.

In carrying out the operation, the various grits and blends of grit to be used will be supplied to the operator in predetermined quantity and in a predetermined order. The quantity of grit supplied determines the area of felt to be covered and likewise the number of shingles of the color or blend of colors which will be formed. Thus, a. certain number of bags of grit of a predetermined color will be supplied the operator and marked with a certain identifying mark, say the numeral 1. These will be used by the operator, and, as they are exhausted, he will have provided him a certain number of bags of a blend of substantially that color and the contrasting color of grit next to be employed, these bags being marked, for example, with the numeral 2 to indicate that they are to be used next in sequence. The grit of the contrasting color which are to follow these of the blended colorwill be marked, for example, with the numeral 3 to indicate the order in which they are to be used. Similarly, the succesare laid at random in forming a roo the various contrasting colors and blends of colors form a pleasingly blended and varicolored roof, without objectionable or violent contrast in color at any point.

Although the present invention has been described in. connection with the specific details of a method of carrying it into effect, it is not intended that these details shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention except in so far as included in the accompanying claims. "I claim:

1. The method of preparing ,roofing for the manufacture therefrom of vari-colored shingles etc. comprising applying to an asphalt coated felt in longitudinal sequence over successive )redetermined areas, first, grit of a define color; second, grit of a blend of substantially said defined color and a contrasting color; and next, grit of substantially the contrasting color; and subsequentlysubdividing the coated felt to form shingles.

2. The method of preparing roofing for the manufacture therefrom of vari-colored shingles etc. comprising maintaining a supply of grit at a predetermined point, continuously passing an asphalt coated felt past the point of grit supply, distributing .the grit from said supply over the moving surface of the felt, said grit supply being of a predetermined color, replenishing said supply with grit of a blend of substantially said color and a contrasting color, continuing the,

distribution of the grit over the moving surface of the felt, and subsequently replenishing the supply of grit with grit of substantially the contrasting color.

3. The method of preparing roofing for themanufacture therefrom of vari-colored shingles etc. comprising continuously passing an asphalt coated felt past a point of grit application, uniformly applying atsaid point a predetermined quantity of grit of a defined color, then applying to the succeeding portion of the moving felt a predetermined quantity of grit of a blend of substantially said defined color and a contrasting color, and applying to the succeeding portion of the moving felt a predetermined quantity of grit of substantially the contrasting color.

STEPHEN G. WRIGHT. 

